Monday, July 25, 2011

SDCC: Luke Evans Talks The Hobbit

While promoting Immortal, Luke Evans talked briefly about his casting as Bard for The Hobbit films with Collider. He will be filming his role starting next week for up to a year indicating that his role is significantly expanded from the brief, but pivotal, role the character had in the novel.

Do you have more swords and sandals films in you?EVANS: Yes. I’m just about to start a very, very big one – The Hobbit. There are no sandals, though. I don’t know what we’re in, but I don’t think there will be any sandals.

You haven’t started working on the film yet?EVANS: No, I fly down next week. I start in a week’s time, and I’m there for a year.

It seems like Peter Jackson just keeps adding to that cast.EVANS: No more. No, that’s it. Me, Barry Humphries, Evangeline Lilly and Benedict Cumberbatch were the final four. Everything else was cast.

How overwhelming is it to take on something of that scope?EVANS: Yeah, it’s big. It’s really big. It’s not overwhelming to the point of being terrifying, but it is quite a big thing. I’m about to become part of a piece of cinematic history, whether I like it or not. This is a big movie and I’m working with a director that is probably one of the best directors around today. He’s the most respected director in the world. He’s carrying these two movies and shooting them straight after each other. It’s taking him two years to shoot. The whole thing is epic, and I’m going to be part of it. I’m really excited. I can’t wait. I’ve got to just finish this film, and then go and sort it out and be real focused.